Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
One night passed.
The female players had barely slept, spending the entire night strategizing and countering the native girls. Despite the arduous night, the outcome was excellent. They successfully fed the purified seeds, amplified by three divine powers, to the girls.
To ensure the girls had indeed been implanted with the purified seeds, they meticulously checked the buffs beneath each girl’s HP bar.
[Purified Seed (Inactive)]
The purified seeds on them were different from those on the NPCs. They were in an active state, constantly helping to offset the corruption from the Old Ones. The ones on the NPCs were inactive, likely to avoid revealing their true nature. The players seemed to anticipate the amusing events that would unfold during the subsequent sacrifices.
As more and more players engaged in mining, the required stones for construction were quickly gathered.
Under the arrangement of the administrators, the players turned their attention to repairing the altar.
The speed of construction by tens of thousands of young and strong players was astounding.
However, since the mission objective was to disrupt the sacrifice, the players naturally wouldn’t strictly follow the plan.
While building the altar, they also utilized the convenience of the player inventory to plant bombs at the altar’s foundation and crucial load-bearing pillars.
The bombs were generously sponsored by Groin.
They could be detonated using specific magical waves, but to ensure foolproof results and for added safety, the players decided to detonate them manually.
When the guards were not paying attention, “Nobody Does Human Things” had other players brick him into the wall. The space was cramped, and he could only crouch.
This method was undeniably ruthless.
Thanks to the player inventory, “Nobody Does Human Things” could accomplish many things without fear of suffocating in such a confined space. When the bombs eventually detonated, he would be blown up with them, only to be resurrected in less than five seconds.
The altar was a massive undertaking.
Although the Kalun royal family didn’t demand that the altar be exquisitely crafted, it still took the players and artisans a full week to complete its construction.
Overall, the style was very rugged.
A towering Eyeball statue stood in the center of a circular plaza.
This statue was pre-made by the Kalun royal family, standing over twenty meters tall.
The entire Eyeball statue was crafted from the finest green jade, and it even incorporated a light source, making the giant eyeball sparkle even at night.
Several hundred players registered for the altar construction went missing. The Kalun royal family paid it no mind, assuming they had either fled or died during the construction. If they couldn’t find the people, they wouldn’t have to pay them. In reality, these players were hidden within the altar, coiled in critical positions, holding bombs, surrounded by pitch-black darkness.
It would be incredibly difficult for a normal person to survive in such complete darkness.
But the players were unbothered. While waiting, they could browse forums, watch R-rated movies, binge-watch shows, or even log off and sleep. They treated it as if King of Winter had locked them in a solitary confinement cell.
Everything was in place, only the opportune moment was needed.
“The sacrificial ceremony will begin in three days. As the builders of this altar, you normally would not be qualified to be present around it. But the great Lord of Truth, in consideration of your hard work, permits you to worship alongside us and receive His grace!!”
The players stood before the altar. The administrator on top was spinning his tales, while they quietly chatted in the Team Channel, paying no heed to the person above.
The administrator, clad in a Black Robe, raised his hands, speaking with excitement. Seeing that none of the workers below objected, he felt a surge of pride.
He truly was the perfect evangelist. A single sentence was enough to make these workers realize the benevolence and greatness of Truth. Look at them! They grumbled naught, as docile as quails.
“From today onwards, you will continue to reside near the construction site. A dedicated financial officer will later distribute your wages. We will also provide your meals for these three days!”
The expected cheers and applause did not materialize. The players heard him with one ear and let it out the other. The artisans, though grateful, saw that their fellow “artisans” nearby had no reaction, causing their hands, which were about to applaud, to pause awkwardly. The cheers they had brewed in their mouths were suppressed. They eventually stood frozen, staring blankly at the man on the altar, speechless.
The Black Robe man held his hands up for a full thirty seconds. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward and silent. Finally, the players noticed.
[Do you think we should cheer a couple of times now?]
[What are we all staring at? Clap! He’s been talking up there for half an hour, we should at least give him some face, right?]
[Quick, clap, don’t let them find out.]
Sparse applause erupted, quickly merging into a continuous wave that swept across the sky. The players clapped and cheered.
“Great! So great!”
“Kalun is awesome!”
“Kalun, Long live the Emperor!”
“Truth eternal! I want to have children with Truth-chan!”
The atmosphere transformed from freezing to boiling in mere seconds. The Black Robe man lowered his hands, his stiff face softening slightly. He adjusted his slightly dishevelled collar and cleared his throat.
“Ahem, in any case, you just wait here. I’ll go order the kitchen to prepare your meals…” With that, he turned and left.
The situation with the female players and the girls was similar. With the help of the purified seeds, the events of the past week had been fraught with peril, but they were always helped by the Goddess of Life and the Goddess of Time at the brink of exposure, stabilizing the situation.
Over seven days, the corruption on the NPC girls worsened. They often experienced involuntary facial twitches, their eyeballs moved uncontrollably, and they would occasionally sprout extra body parts, such as fingers, eyeballs, noses, and mouths. However, these strange phenomena did not last long and would quickly return to normal. If these NPC girls made a deliberate effort to conceal them, it seemed they wouldn’t be easily noticed.
However, they still had one last side mission: to bring home the gold coins and gifts prepared by the Kalun royal family. The gift was a black obsidian Eyeball statue, exquisitely crafted. Ignoring its uncanny appearance, it was a fine piece of craftsmanship.
“Lord of Truth abides by His promise. Your rewards have been distributed.” The Black Robe Woman, seeing that each girl had received her item, displayed a relieved smile. Concealing her mutating body in front of so many humans had been a painful experience. But soon, she would no longer need to conceal it, for in no time, the entire Lapland would transform into a paradise for the dependents of Truth.
